How to Stop Dogs From Jumping

Do you have a dog that jumps up on people or on furnishings that you would rather they leave alone? If so, you may have wondered if there is anything you can do to stop this undesirable behavior. Read on to learn how to stop dogs from jumping.

Get Down to a Dog’s Level

Dogs jump up on people because they are unable to view them eye to eye. Since dogs are smaller in stature than people, they will jump up to try to get a reaction. One way to stop a dog from jumping is to greet them at their level. Kneel down to address a dog and try your best to keep the greeting low-key. If you are overly excited, the dog is likely to become excited as well. Greeting them calmly at their own level may stop them from jumping up.

Use Restraints to Train

Training a dog that jumps often is necessary to stop this behavior. This is done with the use of restraints, so they are not able to jump to a high level. Use a leash on your dog and do not allow your dog to have a lot of slack in the line. This way, if you meet up with another person or an animal, the dog will not be able to move around too much. If you feel your dog trying to jump, pull back the leash toward you and firmly say “no” so that your dog realizes this is not preferred behavior.

Know When to Reward Your Dog

If your dog jumps and you ignore their behavior, they may stop this action because it does not give them favored responses from you. One example of this includes dog clicker training. Any time your dog jumps, firmly tell them “no” and then offer no type of reward. This includes petting the dog or acknowledging them in any way. If your dog refrains from jumping, provide them with a reward for proper behavior. They will soon realize that they will obtain attention from you only when they perform a positive action.

Use Management Techniques When Training

When you are training a dog to stop jumping, you will need to use management tools to ensure that proper behavior continues. This includes the use of:

A leash to keep your dog from jumping around people or animals

A crate to keep your dog away from people or animals if they are prone to jumping

Confinement to another room if needed

These tools are necessary during the training process. When your dog stops jumping, however, you may be able to forego the use of these items. If your dog starts the poor behavior once again, reuse the tools. Your dog will then realize that these restraints are usually only used when they jump. Since most dogs do not especially like being restrained, they will likely stop jumping so the tools are not brought back out to be used.

Distract The Dog From Jumping

Often, distraction is useful to stop a dog from jumping upon someone or on furnishings. Encourage your dog to look your way with a soothing voice. Provide your dog with a toy to play with to keep their mind off of jumping. Feed your dog at a time when you expect visitors to arrive, so they are already engaged in eating instead of having to check out who is at the door.

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